Forgotten Olympian

This is a letter about Maine’s forgotten Olympian. The one who: won the decathlon in the Olympic trials in 1972 with what was at that time a world record; was the first Olympian in track and field from Maine in decades; was the first athlete nominated to the Maine Sports Hall of Fame; won the national pentathlon in 1966; received Maine Athlete of the Year award from Gov. Kenneth Curtis in 1967; was undefeated in the decathlon in the east; was All State, All New England and All American in basketball; was named to the All American Track and Field team numerous times; was selected to tour Central America with Jesse Owens by the U.S. State Department.

He proudly represented Maine; his athletic resume fills pages, yet he wasn’t even given an honorable mention in a recent television special honoring Maine athletes of the century. His name is Jeff Bannister. Richard Pipher Marianne Pipher Belfast